Bowing to pressure from politicians and mental health charities, the broadcaster said that “now is the right time” for the confrontational talk show to come to an end.

MPs are set to grill Kyle and ITV executives after announcing an inquiry into reality TV and the “duty of care” broadcasters give to those who take part.

Jeremy Kyle’s show has been taking off air after the death of a guest (Photo: ITV)

The Kyle series had been suspended indefinitely by ITV on Monday following the death of 63-year-old Steve Dymond, a week after a programme featuring him was filmed.

He had appeared with his girlfriend Jane Callaghan to discuss allegations of infidelity and failed a lie detector test. His death appears to be a suicide.

‘Deep concern’

Dame Carolyn McCall, ITV’s chief executive, said the show could not return “given the gravity of recent events”. A lucrative fixture in ITV’s morning schedules, with one million daily viewers, the Kyle show “has had a loyal audience and has been made by a dedicated production team for 14 years,” the ITV boss acknowledged.

But she said “everyone at ITV’s thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of Steve Dymond.”

ITV would continue to work with Kyle, 53, on other unspecified projects.

The Jeremy Kyle Show has been suspended from the airwaves by ITV. (Photo: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images)

After initially saying the suspension was designed to “protect the show”, notorious for its host confronting guests over infidelities, addictions and dysfunctional relationships, Dame Carolyn concluded that the series could not resume.

Theresa May’s spokesman had expressed “deep concern” about Mr Dymond’s death and said broadcasters must take action to support reality show participants. Suicide prevention minister Jackie Doyle-Price told i the Kyle incident should “make us consider what we class as entertainment.”

‘A watershed moment’

Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said the cancellation “feels like a watershed moment for attitudes to mental wellbeing. The impact of reality and entertainment TV shows on participants is rightly under scrutiny and forces us all to question where the line should be drawn.”

Ofcom has demanded answers from ITV and is poised to draw up tighter rules on the duty of care broadcasters have towards vulnerable people who are thrust into the spotlight.

Damian Collins MP, chair of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee, said ITV had made the “right decision – but that should not be the end of the matter.”

Charles Walker called for the Jeremy Kyle show to be scrapped. (Photo: Sky News)

Announcing an inquiry into reality TV, Mr Collins said: “Programmes like The Jeremy Kyle Show risk putting people who might be vulnerable on to a public stage at a point in their lives when they are unable to foresee the consequences, either for themselves or their families.” “This kind of TV featuring members of the public attracts viewing figures in the millions but in return for ratings, the broadcasters must demonstrate their duty of care to the people whose personal lives are being exposed.”

Dame Carolyn asked Julian Bellamy, head of ITV Studios, to compile a report into the events leading up to Mr Dymond’s death. But with further revelations about the producers’ treatment of guests being aired, advertisers had decided that the Kyle show had become “toxic” and Dame Carolyn acted swiftly to protect the broader ITV “brand.”

The Samaritans offers support for people struggling with suicidal thoughts: www.samaritans.org

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